P. SEMNEBY: THE MOST IMPORTANT PROBLEM IN THE FAILED DIALOGUE BETWEEN ARMENIA AND TURKEY IS THAT THE PARTIES CONTACT NOT ENOUGH, DON’T UNDERSTAND AND TRUST EACH OTHER

2007-12-19 23:58:00

ArmInfo. The most important problem in the failed dialogue between
Armenia and Turkey is that they contact not enough, don’t understand
and trust each other, EU Special Representative in South Caucasus
Peter Semneby told journalists in answer to ArmInfo correspondent’s
question upon completion of parliamentary hearings "Armenian-Turkish
Relations: Problems and Prospects" in Yerevan.

He emphasized that if the sides managed to overcome these obstacles,
it would be qualitatively much easier to come to an agreement and
to see the probable dialogue for normalization of relations between
Armenia and Turkey.

P. Semneby said it will be useful for the parties to approach the
dialogue with small steps. He said that the important thing is that
historical and political issues were not interpreted particularly as
political. The special representative also said that it’s important
for Armenia to promote and support the impetuses, existing in Turkey.

According to him, EU is interested in that Armenia and Turkey
are prosperous countries. P. Semneby didn’t want to comment on the
journalists’ question that Armenia is ready to sit at the negotiation
table with no preconditions, while Turkey adheres to another point
of view.